Writing
To write a good story you must start with a strong logline
- This is a one-sentence summary of your story; this helps keep your story focused
For example – Harry Potter - The boy with no name who became the most famous wizard in the world.
Structure your story: The Five beats of the story
- The character wants something + sets out to get it
- Things go well - the character gets nearer to the thing they want
- Things start to go badly – the character comes up against obstacles but keeps going
- Things go very wrong for the character - the thing they wanted is out of reach, unachievable
- Some kind of resolution: maybe the character gets the thing they wanted or doesn't - must give up - got something different? Something they needed (perspective?)
Dialogue
- Use language that is personal and necessary
- Subtext – not everything has to be explicitly clear or said – this keeps the story alive
- Show don’t tell – using action to convey emotions and information adding to the story
- Tightened Dialogue won’t happen straight away, keep revisiting
- Text - the tip of the iceberg
- Subtext - under the iceberg
- It doesn't matter what you say it is how you say it
- Inner monologue (I don't trust you ….)
Conflicts and Subtext
- How does each character use different tactics to try and get what they want, while never explicitly stating what they're getting at? Include all the thoughts + feelings (subtext as well as dialogue and action of the characters involved)
Pacing
- Keep the story moving – don’t have unnecessary scenes
- Variation in pacing – this helps maintain interest
Don’t waste time talking about anything you can show – images are more powerful than words!
The importance of dialogue …
Two main functions of dialogue
- To advance the plot
- To illustrate character
- The last thing you need to think about – is there for the service of the character
- Secondary to the plot
- Things that are said are as important as not said
- Give the reader a running commentary
- Don't over-explain, be subtle
- Plot - key events + complications
Dialogue which advances the plot
- Catalyses (event, action, complications, etc.) - moves events along - it's itself action
- Reveals (character, narrative, etc.)
- Or is itself action - the 'doing' of something to another character
Two types of dialogue
Offensive dialogue
- Dialogue that is part of an action pursuing an objective
Defensive dialogue
- Words that are part of a block against that action
- Many ways to express what's going on without dialogue
- Set
- Stage directions
Character Dialogue: Three Filters
- Character background
- Character psychology
- The character’s situation at that moment
- Prima Facie written by Suzie Miller is a good one
- What is the dialect?
- Geographical background
- Ethnicity
- Educational level - the types of words that are said
- Gender
- Women/men articulate differently
- Men express heavily - practically + fix the situation
- Women express more emotionally - women aren't as assertive + ask questions
- Socially generalised
David Mamet
"People may or may not say what they mean .. but they always say something designed to get what they want"
- Actions speak louder than words
- What is beneath what people say?
- Iceberg - what is beneath the surface of the words
- Dialect imposed without understanding
- Three-dimensional individuals - what is going on?
Rules of Dialogue
- Propel the story forward (avoid "shooting the breeze", i.e. chatting for chat's sake)
- Reveal character and theme
- Build conflict and drama (dialogue is conflict)
- Sound different for each character (ensure the individuality and personality of the characters come through)
- Entertain (i.e., witty, memorable lines or retorts, dialogue that flows, etc.)
- Avoid dialogue running longer than three or four lines (without good reason - i.e. a monologue or soliloquy, rousing speech, confidence, etc.)
- Never be on the nose (i.e. too obvious in the point you're trying to make/what you're saying)
Questions to ask about any piece of dialogue
- In the context of the play, is there any tangible point to this dialogue? Is it clearly going anywhere?
- Does it put one or both characters under pressure in some way? (is it emotionally charged on any level?)
- Does the conversation involve any level of conflict as one/both characters tries to get something?
- Were you engaged and/or excited by this dialogue?
- Has a fundamental shift in the story occurred by the end of the scene? (has the story moved/characters changed/learned something, etc.?
- Is it an important conversation that deserves to be in the script?
- Does the script dialogue interest, amuse or shock you in some way?
- Does it feel like a natural conversation between two real people? - it's got to be credible
- Set the scene
- Exposition
- Don't have anything superfluous
Vernacular – the language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region
"Ah reckon ah do' haff ta go dowan tuh th' rivuh tuhday, 'cawse we got awl th' feeush we gwine need' - Don't do this
I reckon I don't have t' go down t' the river today, 'cause we got all the fish we gonna need' - the put in the stage directions in a strong accent
- Details
- Written by: Kimberley Gomersall
- Category: Writing